Safety-brake for fire-escapes



(No Model.)

. J. W. HENTZ.

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ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IV. I-IENTZ, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SAFETY-BRAKE FOR FlRE-ESCAPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,025, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed January 26, 1895. Serial No. 536,893. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WV. HENTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Brakes for Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device to reguthe device; Fig.3, a side view; Fig. 4, a section on line 1 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, aview of the yoke-clamp Fig. 6, an edge View of the yokeclamp; Fig. '7, a detail of handle connection with the yoke-clamp.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a yoke-shaped hanger carrying two disk halves Emounted on a shaft or spindle 19, secured in the yoke-arms by a nut 6. Each disk half is slotted irregularly on its inner side and the two halves fit together. Each slot has a curved radial passage G to the exterior, and a wheel D is mounted in the slot on the shaft 1). A rope or cable F enters through one passage G, passes around the wheel and out through the other passage. A yoke-shaped clamp O is pivoted at a, and the yoke-arms thereof extend around the wheel D. A lateral arm on the clamp extends through an opening at one side of the wheel and is connected by means of an eye 6 with a handle B. By pulling on this handle one arm of the yoke-clamp G will bind against the rope F and by its frictional contact therewith regulate the speed at which the rope passes through the openings G. By this means the operator may readily regulate the descent of the car or basket. (Not shown.)

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is In a device of the class described, the combination of a yoke-shaped hanger; a revoluble disk pivoted in the arms of the hanger and consisting of two halves each having a slot provided at one side with two radial passages, G, and with an opening at the other side; a wheel mounted centrally in the slot of the disks; a rope entering the slot through one radial passage, passing around said wheel and out of the slot through the other radial passage; a pivoted clamp partially surrounding the wheel and serving to clamp the rope and by frictional contact regulate the passage thereof through the slot, said clamp having a lateral arm projecting out through said socket-opening at the side opposite the radial passages; and a handle attached to said radial arm.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES WV. HEN'IZ.

Witnesses:

HENRY S. BREWINGTON, J. R. JARRELL. 

